The Journey
by Lady Kiren
Summary: Chihiro finds herself going back to the Spirit World. She realizes that going back is not a simple as just steping over the border. Will she find what she has been looking for all these years?
1. Before the start

Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away…don't rub it in…

A/N: I'm not going to leave my To be together story alone, I just need to write a different one. I find myself needing a different story from Spirited Away so I'm writing it. So please, don't fret about To be together, I promise I will finish it. This first chapter will be introducing the scene, a little background and building the characters. It will probably seem a little slow, so please just stay with me. And I realize that the college, while a name of an actual college in New Zealand, the way I describe it is made up as well as the courses.

The rising sun crept slowly over the mountain, illuminating a young woman's face. She has waist-length chocolate brown hair. Her coffee colored eyes look out over a gorgeous landscape. They are searching, yet sad. She looks about twenty years old, but her eyes look much older. She sits straight up, her back in a straight line, yet she does not look uncomfortable. She has an air of grace about her, almost regal. She is alone, sitting on a rock wall near the college that she attends. She was born in Japan and lived there for eighteen years before going away to New Zealand for college. Her name is Chihiro Ogino, and this is her story.

After her adventures in the Spirit World, Chihiro was never the same. She never, ever, mentioned what she saw. She was afraid that if she spoke of any of it, the magic would fade from her mind. She was also afraid of it being it rejected as just a childhood fantasy, and she herself did not want to think that, so she never told anyone.

Chihiro had never forgotten the Spirited World however, and she had often tried to go back. She had walked that road that went trough the woods by her house every day for two months, after that, her walks dwindled until they were once a week. She would always find the statue staring at her, with its queer little smile, but never the tunnel. Each time she did not see it, she felt like she had to leave it all behind all over again.

Chihiro had become a little more introverted and she daydreamed a lot, about her friends at the bathhouse…and him. But despite her parents' worries, she did well in school and even took up ballet and piano. She felt that she needed to do something that would keep her mind off of the Spirit World. Ballet took a lot of focus in order to keep her balance and her form perfect. And as long as the piano piece she played was complex, her mind did not wander.

Although most of the time she was a quiet individual, she had a quicksilver temper and was not afraid to speak her mind. Her temper had gotten her in trouble in school sometimes but for the most part she stayed out of serious trouble. And until she was eighteen, Chihiro had been a dutiful daughter.

In her senior year of high school, Chihiro had started to change her mind about what she wanted out of life. Initially she was going to keep up with the piano lessons, drop the ballet lessons and major in science. She was going to go to college in Tokyo and come home every weekend and all of the holidays. Her parents had always expected the best from her. The best grades, the best performances, and the best behavior. They had been the ones guiding her through life and telling her what to do with it. At eighteen, Chihiro had had enough.

She had looked at other colleges and other things she could major in. She wanted to drop both piano and ballet, knowing she would not want to go anywhere with them. And truth be told, there wasn't much more she could learn about piano and she just liked ballet for the distraction it allowed her. She found a college in New Zealand that had excellent courses on world mythology and literature. And because her school had offered English classes, she would be alright language wise. She filled out all the forms without her parents knowing and sent them her test scores. It was only when she got her acceptance letter that also entitled her to a full scholarship, that she brought it up with her parents.

They were sitting down and eating dinner when Chihiro finally got the nerve to say something.

"Mother, Father, there is something I would like to speak to you about," Chihiro said, being the ever-respectful daughter.

"Yes?" they answered in unison. Chihiro took a deep breath and began.

"I have been thinking about, well about changing what I want to do with my life. I feel as though science is not where I want to have a career in and piano is not my passion. And I feel as though I should leave it to those whose passion it is. I have found a college in New Zealand that I have been accepted to and received a full scholarship from. I would be majoring in world mythology and literature." Chihiro finished and looked at the stunned looks that were on her parents' faces.

"But Chihiro dear, you've always wanted this. Since you were in grade school," her mother said with a confused and concerned look on her face.

"No, you have always wanted this for me. And up until now I thought it was what I wanted as well," Chihiro kept her voice level, with effort, but her voice was firm. Her father started to frown at the sound of his daughter talking to his wife like that.

"Chihiro, this is not up for discussion. And you know better than to talk to your mother like that," her father said raising his voice slightly. It was at the sound of refusal and determination to squash her idea in his voice that made Chihiro snap. She looked straight into his eyes, something she never did and was suddenly very determined.

"Father," she started slowly, "I realize that you think this is what I should be doing. And yes, it might be better for a career, but it is not what I want."

"Chihiro, this is not up for discussion," her father said again, his voice dangerously low.

"And why not?" Chihiro asked, her voice rising, "It's my life isn't it? Should I live it for myself?" Chihiro asked angrily. Her father looked taken aback; she had never talked back to him.

"Chihiro," her father started but Chihiro was too worked up to let him go any further.

"No father, I have always done what you've wanted. For the past eighteen years of my life I have been an obedient, dutiful daughter. I never argued when we first moved here, I have let you decide my life for me. And up until now I was going to let you decide the rest of my life! But no more. I'm tired of feeling unhappy with where my life is going, I'm tired of having to fit in where I don't belong, and I'm tired of feeling different and having to change myself to fit in!" Angry tears were welling up in Chihiro's eyes, "And if finding somewhere that I do fit in means having to leave this wor-country then I am prepared to do so." Chihiro had almost slipped and mentioned the Spirit World. Chihiro took a shaky breath and clamed slightly.

"I have a full scholarship," she began, "and on August 2nd, I will be taking a plane to New Zealand and going to college. There is nothing you can say to change my mind." Chihiro's voice softened. "I don't want to leave on a bad note, but if you can't accept that I am going, then I will." Chihiro stood and gracefully walked out, leaving her parents stunned in the dining room.

Chihiro ran up the stairs to her room. She paced agitatedly for a few moments before stopping at her favorite painting. It was a white dragon with an emerald mane. But unlike his eyes, the painted dragon had coal black eyes that some days seemed to stare straight through her. She had found it when she was twelve, in a small mountain town her parents and her had been visiting. Ever since then, it had hung on her wall. She would often look at it for long periods of time before tracing her finger over the dragon's form and walking away, which is what she did now.

Chihiro quickly turned away and pulled her hair up into a simple ponytail with the purple band her granny and her friends made for her in the Spirit World. It had never broken, frayed or grown dull. It was still that shiny purple it had been the day she had received it. She pulled on her tennis shoes and slipped on her jacket. She then went to her open window and climbed down the trellis that held the ivy her mother had planted. She had often snuck out this way; it was much easier than having to explain why she would go for runs in the middle of the night to her parents.

She jumped the last few feet and started running. She didn't pay attention to where she was going, she never did. But she found herself running on the dirt road that ran through the woods. She stopped, breathing hard, in front of the squat little statue. There was no tunnel, there never was, not since she was ten years old. She sank to her knees, not noticing that her cheeks were wet with tears. She had never forgotten, and on the outside no one was the wiser, but on the inside there was a big hole, a part of her that felt empty in this world, something that made her feel as though she would never belong.

She had always felt different than everyone around her. She had witnessed, and been apart of something magical. She had stepped into a different world altogether, and because of this…she had felt so alone and apart from everyone else. She had never had any friends; she had made excuses for her and her parents. They came easy, ballet was taking up her time, or piano lessons were, and she had to study and get good grades and help around the house, so there was no time for friends. But really, she felt as though the only friends that she could ever have or want, were those she met in the Spirit World.

Chihiro's spirit had been broken, her time here in the human world had not been easy, she was always struggling to fit in or to be happy, but she just could not. Her heart knew that she no longer belonged here; this was not her world anymore. With this revelation, and with the knowledge that she might never see the Spirit World again, her crying intensified. Sobs racked her petite frame as she leaned on the statue for support. She pulled her knees up to her chest and just let herself feel everything. It hurt, more than anything ever had, but she couldn't ignore it anymore.

Afterwards, when the tears had stopped, she felt empty and tired. She leaned her head back against the statue. Her eyes were closed and her breathing steady. After some time, she slowly got to her feet and looked down at the statue.

"You promised. You promised we would see each other again. But you may have meant at the end of my life," tears sprang back in her eyes.

"I didn't. But…" she faltered, unsure of what to say. "I miss you," she finished sadly. She turned around and looked at the road in front of her.

"Goodbye," she whispered. She walked slowly back up the road and back home.

Her relationship with her parents was never the same, they barely spoke anymore. None the less, in a year, she graduated with honors. During the summer she got a job and saved to buy a plane ticket to New Zealand. She still helped around the house, and ate dinner with them, but the atmosphere was cool at best. Her mother seemed to be slowly warming up to the idea; at least she talked to Chihiro. Her father had not spoken to her since that night. He seemed that he would have liked to forget her existence.

It made Chihiro sad, that her and her father didn't talk. Before they moved here when she was ten, she used to tell her father everything. After those three days in the Spirit World however, she had grown distant from him. And now, they did not speak at all. The stony silence was deafening to Chihiro. She was almost happy to be leaving.

The day she was leaving, her mother had offered to drive her to the airport. She was packed and ready to go, but first she had to visit the statue…one last time. She walked down the dirt track, taking her time, deep down hoping the tunnel would be there.

It wasn't, and Chihiro's shoulders fell. She knelt down next to the statue and placed her hand on top of the statue's head.

"He never came," she said to it sadly. The statue didn't respond. 'Well of course not Chihiro, it's a statue,' Chihiro chided herself. She gazed at the hill where the tunnel should be. Flowers covered the hillside, white ones mostly. They swayed gently in the breeze, nodding their heads to her. She took a note out of her pocket and dug a hole in the ground next to the statue. She covered the note and stood. She picked two flowers and laid them on the mound of dirt. She straightened and looked around sadly for what be the last time in a while. Setting her shoulders, she turned and walked back to the house where her mother was waiting to take her to the airport so she could get a fresh start on life.

"_I will return" _

Chihiro stepped off the plane and breathed in. The long plane ride had really worn her out, she hated sitting for hours on end. But finally she was here and she was glad. She went and got her luggage before going out and finding a taxi. She put her things in the trunk and stepped into the back seat.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Canterbury University please," Chihiro said in formal English. The driver nodded and started to drive. Chihiro was amazed at how green everything was here. Yes, Japan was lush in some places but this was amazing. She also was amazed at all the furry white animals, known as sheep in English, that were just grazing everywhere. After a while, Chihiro sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Her eyes never left the landscape, though her mind wandered. She thought about how life might go here. It had to be better than at home. Anticipation grew and butterflies started to grow in her stomach. Chihiro was beginning to become nervous about whether or not she would like the college. She had seen pictures, read brochures and had people tell her how great it was but she knew she would have to see it to know whether she would like it.

Students from all over the world, even ones from New Zealand, would come here. The curriculum was vast, there were all sorts of things you could major in, but it was the world mythology and literature program that caught her eye. She had always been fascinated with mythology and she loved to read. When she hadn't been busy in school, she would go to the library to read. Her high school's library was huge and she often spent her lunch hour there.

Finally, two hours later, they arrived at the college. Chihiro thanked and paid the driver and unloaded her stuff. She brought it with her when she went to the front office. She got her room assignment, cafeteria card, class schedule, and a map. With her papers and luggage in hand, she went off to her dorm rooms. She was staying in the foreign students dorms, where she would have a chance to meet others from Japan, and anywhere else in the world.

She unlocked her room to find that her roommate had already unpacked. She set her things down on her bed and took a minute to breathe. Her room had a bathroom, thank goodness she would only have to share with one person, two desks, two beds, and two closets. She looked out the one window in their room. It was a beautiful view of the spacious campus. Because she had arrived here three days early, she decided she would unpack later. She left the room, locking the door, and went out to explore the campus.

And what a beautiful campus it was. There were lush green hills and so many trees! All of the different buildings had their own style of architecture. She wandered through the grounds, passing students every now and then. She came upon a trial that led through some untamed trees. The trail followed a small laughing stream and the air smelled fresh here. There was a curved bridge up ahead where the trees gaped and you could see the sky above and river below. Chihiro thought that if the sky was clear tonight, she might just have to come here to see the stars.

On her way back, she found a beat up little trail that led off the campus. She decided to follow it. It led through some trees, across a small meadow and up to an overlook which presented the most magnificent view she had ever seen. A dilapidated rock wall sat curved on the hill. And beyond the wall were lush green hills in front of snow-capped mountain in the distance. Chihiro could see for miles form here. Chihiro sat down on the wall and just enjoyed the peace and the beautiful view.

She got back to her room around five and saw that her room mate was back. She had black hair that reached a little passed her shoulders and the most startlingly clear and bright green eyes. She had her back turned but when she heard Chihiro come in, she turned around. Her face lit up in a wide smile.

"Hi, you must be my roommate. I'm Emiko." She bowed her head slightly in way of greeting; she had a slight accent that Chihiro didn't recognize. Chihiro smiled warmly and bowed back.

"Hello, I'm Chihiro. It's nice to meet you."

"You as well. So you are from Japan I hear?" Emiko asked.

"Yes, born and lived there until now," answered Chihiro, "You?"

"Well, I was born in Scotland and lived there for twelve years before my parents, who were born in Japan and had lived there most of their lives, decided to move back to Japan. And I have lived there for four years. My parents had always taught me both English and Japanese so I am fluent in both." They both smiled at each other and settled into what had the possibility to be a good and long-lasting friendship.

Emiko had a way about her that Chihiro was just drawn to. She was so vibrant and full of life compared to Chihiro. She had an easy laugh and she had so many stories to tell. Chihiro felt like she could tell anything to Emiko. Chihiro now knew that she would love it here. She had found a friend, a favorite spot, and she loved the campus. Her future at Canterbury University looked bright.

A/N: Let me know what you think


	2. College

Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away

A/N: This chapter takes place in Chihiro's third year of college and the first scene of the first chapter of this story, the one with Chihiro sitting on the wall, is also in her third year. I realize that I do a lot a of time jumping but please bear with me. And if it gets confusing Please let me know. And also, I have not been to college so most likely this will sound nothing like it.

Thank you very much to my first two reviewers:

111mo111-Thank you so much for your lovely review! I hope that this next chapter does not disappoint. blushes Thank you again.

Winry-15- I'm glad you liked it! Here is the next chapter, I hope you like it. Thank you again for reviewing.

And now…onto the story!

RING! smack Chihiro hit her alarm clock and groaned. She had a major hangover, Emiko had convinced her that Chihiro needed to go out last night and be sociable. They had gone with a few other students to the local bar, the Rosy Sheep. Emiko had got the brilliant idea that they should start a drinking game. And well, it didn't seem so much last night but apparently (as evidence by her pounding head this morning), Chihiro had had a lot to drink. She sat up and instantly regretted it, all the blood rushed from her head and made the pounding worse. She closed her eyes and hung her head in her hands.

Chihiro had an hour and a half to get ready for class. She always set her alarm clock early because usually, she went for a run. She could tell that that would not be the case this morning. She got up and turned on the shower. After her shower she got herself ready the rest of the way. Her hair in a ponytail, like it always was, tied with the shiny purple band. She got her things ready and set them by the door. She glanced at her sleeping friend and roommate, Emiko. She was snoring slightly and looked completely out of it. Chihiro grinned evilly as she walked back into the bathroom and filled a cup with cold water. She tipped the cup right over Emiko's head.

"Ah!" Emiko screeched, sitting straight up. She then groaned and held her head in her hands.

"That was evil Chi!" Emiko said in a pouty voice.

"You needed a wake-up call Em," replied Chihiro nonchalantly. Emiko looked at the clock at back at Chihiro, a mad look on her face.

"My first class isn't for another three hours!" Emiko hollered. Chihiro looked at the clock with and shrugged, her face innocent.

"My mistake!" she said sweetly, "Well then, see you later!" Chihiro swept out of the room, running her finger over the dragon painting before going. She crossed the campus to her first class, Spirit Creatures of the World. True, it was the title that had interested her, but the class was actually very interesting. The teacher, was Mr. Larsson. Occasionally, the language he used was a little hard for Chihiro to understand, but she would get the gist of what he was talking about more often than not.

She took her normal seat in a middle row seat in the auditorium. There were actually quite a few students in this course. She took out her laptop and waited for class to begin. Thus far, he had yet to cover anything in Japan. And for that, she was secretly grateful. She wasn't sure she would be able to handle it if he decided to talk about that. The rest of the class soon filed in, followed by Mr. Larsson.

He set his things on the desk that resided in the room and put his notes on the small podium that stood facing the room. He then turned to the chalk board and wrote these words:

Elemental Spirits-Japan

Chihiro frowned and her heart quickened. But she sat poised to take notes none-the-less.

"Alright class, today we shall discuss, as I hope you have figured out, about Elemental Spirits. And we shall talk, moreover I shall talk, about the spirits in Japan. Of which, there are said to be many," he finished and looked at them for a moment before continuing.

"We shall cover land spirits, river spirits, lake spirits, forest spirits, and mountain spirits. This is certainly not to say that they are more, because oh yes are there more! But, I want to eventually move on and teach something else," He finished and took a glance at his notes. Chihiro was subconsciously holding her breath, hoping dearly he wouldn't start with river spirits, lest he come to mind.

"And today we shall be starting with land spirits," Mr. Larsson announced, walking away from the podium. Chihiro let her breath out in relief, she would have to worry for a couple of days or so.

"Land Spirits are so named because they inhibit, what class?" Mr. Larsson asked. He called these stupid questions that he asked tests to see if they were all awake and had functioning brains.

"The land Mr. Larsson," the class echoed, smiling playing on their faces. Mr. Larsson grinned back and replied.

"Very good class, good to know your brains haven't been stolen. Now, a main characteristic, and perhaps the most important, is that all land spirits have land that they watch over. And because spirits is what they are, they are bonded to that piece of land, however big it happens to be. They can take human, or corporal form, but they are mostly known as spirits, not human like. I am also told that they can take on animal forms, this being useful for hiding from the prying eyes of humans. There have been stories of small towns leaving gifts in wells or in trees, or perhaps small shrines for the land spirits to ensure good crops or something of the like," Mr. Larsson went on as he always did.

Chihiro's fingers were flying across her keyboard, trying to keep up. She was much better now than her first year here. There, she was lucky to catch a few sentences. But now she found, that it was much easier. She may not have understood every word, but she could type it and then Emiko would help her understand it later.

"Alright class," Mr. Larsson announced after a couple more hours, "You are?" he asked looking to them.

"Dismissed," the class said automatically. Mr. Larsson laughed and replied jokingly.

"No, I was going to say…ready for two more hours!" They all laughed, he did this everyday, varying his responses.

Chihiro mad her way to the cafeteria, there she would see Emiko for the first time in a day. They shared two classes. Emiko liked literature, but she was majoring in biology. Chihiro got her lunch and swiped her card. She looked around the cafeteria and saw Emiko sitting in their usual spot, by the window. She walked over and saw that Emiko looked a little worse for wear.

"That was just plain evil this morning Chi," said Emiko grumpily. Chihiro sat down unfazed.

"It was evil of you to get me drunk," replied Chihiro.

"Humph," snorted Emiko, "First of all, I didn't make you drink and second of all you didn't drink that much." To which Chihiro stared at her.

"Actually, the drinking game was your idea, as well as the shots of tequila," Chihiro replied accusingly. Emiko's face scrunched in thought and then straightened as she realized it.

"Oh yeah…" she said wonderingly, as if she had just remembered. Chihiro rolled her eyes and grinned good naturedly, beginning to eat her sushi.

"So what are we going to do this summer Chi?" Emiko asked nonchalantly. Chihiro just shrugged, knowing what Emiko was getting at. She had been trying to get Chihiro to go back home for two years now. She sighed at the thought of going home, there wasn't any point. The tunnel wouldn't be there and it wasn't as if her and her parents were on the best of terms.

"We could go to Japan…" suggested Emiko slowly. Chihiro looked up at her with a 'are you really going there again?' face. Emiko put on her best pouty-concerned face.

"Come on Chi, what are you trying so hard to avoid?" Emiko asked. Chihiro sighed and looked back down at her plate, not hungry anymore.

"I'll tell you later," Chihiro replied. Emiko nodded looking satisfied. Chihiro checked her watch and lifted her things.

"I'll see you in class," said Chihiro as she stood. Emiko nodded and watched Chihiro walk away. They had an hour until class, they usually spent it together, since they had their next class, British Literature, together. She shook her head, she knew Chihiro was sad and she was determined to fix it. 'To hell with him,' Emiko thought to herself.

Chihiro had dropped her stuff off in the lecture hall and was now walking to her favorite spot. It was about a ten minute walk if she walked fast. She got there and sat down, sighing slightly. She tipped her face up to the warm sunlight and enjoyed the serenity for a while. She then opened her eyes and looked out around her, certainly not seeing the view that was there.

Instead, she saw him, as she often seemed to these days. Everything seemed to remind her of him. The green of the grass almost matched the eyes that haunted her dreams. She sighed, trying to forget, it made everything much harder when she couldn't seem to forget. Knowing that she fit in somewhere much better than here and that she might never be able to go back to there, was very disheartening. But she tried not to dwell on it during the day, it was too distracting.

But at night, when it was quiet and the stars shone brightly in the sky, the thoughts crept in to the forefront of her mind. She would spend long hours lying awake, thinking about it. Sometimes she remembered little things, like the feel of the polished wood floor beneath her bare feet, or the feel of the wind as it blew across the grassy planes. But other times it was the big things, like when she first met Kamaji or...him.

She sighed again and closed her eyes for a moment. She tried to think of a way she could tell Emiko. She didn't think she could lie, but Emiko would think she was crazy if she told her what was bothering her. The Spirit World was like her own little secret, she hadn't told anyone. Telling someone now seemed like…letting go a part of herself. But perhaps it would make her feel better. She didn't know…and it scared her.

She got up eventually and walked back to class. She met up with Emiko in the lecture hall and sat down next to her.

"Are you alright?" Emiko asked, looking concerned.

"Yes," Chihiro absently replied. Emiko just raised her eyebrows and gave the 'oh really look,' to Chihiro. Chihiro sighed and hung her head slightly.

"Well, ok…I'm not but I don't want to deal with it before class ok? I promise I-I'll tell you later," Chihiro said looking a little apprehensive but trying to get away from this subject. Emiko got the hint and nodded, just then the teacher walked in.

Chihiro was quiet all through dinner; it was only when they got back to their room that she was ready to talk. Chihiro put her things on the floor at the foot of her bed. She then got up on her bed and sat against the wall, her knees pulled up to her chest. She put her head on her knees, Emiko waited for Chihiro to begin. She knew that Chihiro would not respond to pressure to start talking about this. Chihiro would have to tell Emiko on her own time, Emiko was prepared to wait if need be.

Chihiro took a deep breath and lifted her head. She didn't look at Emiko, she choose instead to look out the window.

"My family moved to a new town when I was ten," Chihiro began slowly.

"It was out in the middle of nowhere and my dad got lost, as usual," Chihiro laughed a little bitterly.

"And so we ended up on this dilapidated dirt road that seemed like it would lead to our house. As it turned out, it didn't. What it did lead to was this strange squat statue in front of a tunnel in a red building made of plaster," Chihiro paused as if remembering.

"My parents decided that we should go into the tunnel. I…I wasn't going to go with them at first. But I got scared at the thought of them leaving me…so I went." Chihiro went on to tell Emiko everything, she left no detail out. She seemed as though she was lost in the story. Her eyes were glazed over as though she could see it happening as she told it. The story went on for hours, Chihiro was immersed fully in her tale. At the same time, her voice always had a ring of sadness to it.

"And he promised we would see each other again," Chihiro finished, finally looking at Emiko.

"And did you?" Emiko asked, her voice raw. Chihiro's eyes saddened and tears appeared at the edges. She held Emiko's gaze for a moment longer.

"No," she answered quietly, looking away. Emiko nodded, she kind of already knew the answer without asking. But she felt she had to ask. Emiko looked at Chihiro, she was staring out the window again, tears streaming quietly down her cheeks. Emiko was both feeling sad for Chihiro and angry. She shouldn't have to stay here, she didn't belong here, and this was simply not her world anymore, anyone with half a brain could see it.

"Chi," Emiko said softly. Chihiro looked at her after a moment, her eyes shining with tears.

"You should go back," Emiko said staring intensely at Chihiro. Who, at the moment looked like she was in shock. She then shook her head and replied, her voice breaking.

"I tried, I walked that track everyday for two months after that! And even after that I walked it once a week. But the tunnel was never there, it just lead to the statue."

"Let's try again Chi," Emiko pleaded.

"Emiko—wait, you actually believe me?" Chihiro hadn't been paying attention, and after all she hadn't expected anyone to believe her.

"Chi," Emiko said seriously, "I was born in Scotland, we practically invented tales like that." Chihiro smiled weakly. Emiko stood and crossed the room to Chihiro's bed. She sat down and looked at Chihiro.

"Let's go," Emiko whispered. Chihiro held her gaze for a moment for burying her head in her arms.

"I can't," came Chihiro's muffled reply, "What if the tunnel isn't there again? I don't think I can take it anymore."

"But what if it is?" asked Emiko. Chihiro stilled as if thinking about that possibility. She lifted her head and stared into Emiko's green eyes. She knew that there was only one way to find out, and something in Emiko's voice made her want to believe that it would be there. She nodded slowly and Emiko brightened.

"Good, it's settled then. I will get us plane tickets," Emiko bounced off to her computer to find them tickets that were somewhat reasonably priced. Chihiro shook her head and looked back out the window, Emiko's word swirled hauntingly in her head, full of promise.

"_But what if it is?"_


	3. The trip back home

Disclaimer: Do you think that if I owned Spirited Away I would ever think about working again? And also, though I would love to say it was, Over the Hedge is not mine either.

A/N: This chapter is a little bit longer than usual, think of it as a late Christmas present. Anyway, I realize that college exams are probably not like the way I describe them, but as I've said before I haven't been to college yet so I am making it up. Haku does not appear in this chapter and probably will not in the other, except at the end. I will definitely have lots of Haku appearances in the fifth chapter. Thank you to all my reviewers, it is always appreciated.

The next couple of weeks passed with a blur. Finals were coming up and teachers were cramming to get all of their material taught. Even the light-hearted Mr. Larsson was getting a little more serious. Up to this point, a week before finals, they had covered Land spirits, forest spirits, mountain spirits, and lake spirits. Chihiro knew what was coming next, river spirits. She had both been exited and had been dreading this. She wanted to hear what he was going to say, but she also didn't want to have to think about him. And it wasn't that she hated thinking about him, it was that she hated the helpless feeling she would get. There was nothing she could do to see him. Nonetheless she walked into class and sat down her usual spot and opened up her laptop. There she sat, her fingers hovering above the keyboard, ready to type away.

Mr. Larsson walked in and put his briefcase on the desk at the front of the room. He shuffled through it, trying to find his notes. Having found them, he took them over to the podium where he laid them down and looked at the class for a moment before beginning.

"Alright class," he said, Chihiro took in a breath.

"Today and tomorrow we will be discussing river spirits. And they are so named because—class?" They class shared a collective smile before answering.

"They inhabit the water."

"Good! You all still have your brains, now onward!" He exclaimed.

"River spirits, are a lot less animated than the others, although lake spirits act much the same way. But river spirits, unlike the rest of them, tend not to take corporal form. They tend to just "exist" as it were."

'Except him,' Chihiro thought to herself.

"They also tend to be some of the oldest and most immovable spirits around. Water, is one of the most powerful elements. It, unlike the others such as land, cannot be destroyed. Humans can and will destroy land, forests and mountains. But they cannot destroy water."

"Mr. Larsson?" someone interrupted.

"Yes?" he answered, looking eager.

"Isn't it true though that humans can evaporate water?" The student asked.

"Yes, but doesn't it also condense into rain and come back to earth?" Mr. Larsson asked, looking somewhat smug. Realization dawned and the student's face and they blushed a little.

"It was a good question though, points for you," Mr. Larsson then continued, "Water can be re-rerouted and often is. To make way for cities, roads, houses, you name it. But that is indeed all that they can do. And an example of this is Kohaku River in Japan. It was thought to be destroyed about 18 years ago, but really it just got interrupted. I believe that they built a dam but eventually, it found another way out of the dam and flowed differently from then on," Mr. Larsson explained.

Chihiro was very interested in this. It had indeed been her belief that Kohaku River had been destroyed. But now that she knew it wasn't, did that mean he knew too? Rerouting a river that had been flowing the same way for who knows how many years had to be an awful experience for Haku so it probably would have forced him into human form. But she had given his name back before she left, so it made her wonder, did he find his river and join back with it forsaking his human form?

Chihiro had spent most of the rest of the class typing what Mr. Larsson had said, but think about Haku and his river. All sorts of questions came to her mind, and when the bell rang, she realized that she might be able to see him again.

As she walked across the campus to lunch however, a thought stopped her. What if he did bond back to his river? Then she wouldn't see him again. But she also thought to herself, is that the only reason I want to go back? To see him? She knew then it wasn't, it was a big reason to be sure, but it wasn't the whole reason. Ever since she had left she had felt something pulling her back, and it was something she couldn't explain.

She got into the cafeteria and got her food. She walked towards their table and sat down across from Emiko, who was studying.

"Cramming again Emiko?" Chihiro asked, her smile slightly smirking. Emiko looked up as if she hadn't heard Chihiro sit down.

"What? Oh, yeah I am," Emiko grinned and closed her book.

"I don't want to fail finals, do you?" Emiko asked.

"Well of course not, but some of us study at night, when you know, its normal," Chihiro said sarcastically.

"But Chi," Emiko whined, "That's when I go out. You could come with me," Emiko suggested slyly.

"After that last hangover?" Chihiro's eyes shot up. "No way," replied Chihiro. Emiko pouted for a moment before talking again.

"Oh! I got our tickets, we leave the day after finals. We will be flying into Tokyo and then driving to your hometown. Do you want to visit your parents?" Emiko asked carefully.

"I-I don't know right now Em, let me just get through finals and I'll let you know," Chihiro replied, frowning slightly. Emiko nodded and the girls spent the rest of the time before class chatting about random things and eating their lunches.

The rest of the week passed in a flurry of notes, reviewing, late night cramming sessions and everyone's most dreaded part of the year: finals. Chihiro stayed up late with Emiko to study. Both girls now studied every chance they got. The day of finals finally came, each final was an hour and a half and they were all taken in the auditorium. Students had to sit in the same seat for all of their exams. Chihiro looked at the clock one last time and sighed before a teacher signaled that their first exam was beginning.

Chihiro flopped onto the floor with an exhausted sigh, it was twelve o' clock. Emiko and Chihiro had both finished their exams at five. They then went with some other students to dinner and then to the Rosy Sheep for a celebration. Both Emiko and Chihiro had cut out early because their plane left at seven.

They were packed and ready to go, all of their stuff, save for their sleeping bags and pillows. They were going to sleep on the floor in their sleeping bags tonight so they wouldn't have to do any packing up of sheets and things like that in the morning. They wanted to sleep as long as they could, which at this point, only amounted to about three and a half hours.

"Well Chi," Emiko sighed happily, "That'll be the last time for a while that we will get in late from the Rosy Sheep." Chihiro just laughed, Emiko sounded more upset about it than she did. They both climbed into their sleeping bags and fell asleep immediately.

That night, Chihiro had dreamt about the Spirit World, she hadn't actually dreamt about it in a while. She was standing knee-deep in the water next to a train stop. The wind was rustling her hair as it rushed across the flooded plain. Chihiro looked down at herself, she was wearing her bathhouse uniform. She then looked at the platform that had appeared next to her. It was like the platform that she had got on to go to Zeniba's house the first time she was in the Spirit World. She looked behind her and saw the bathhouse shimmering in the distance.

Chihiro heard the train's whistle and she saw it pulling slowly into the station, making the water wash-up to her chest in a small wave. The train stopped and Chihiro could see the passengers hanging their heads out the windows. The passengers were all her friends. She saw Kamaji, Lin, Zeniba, Bou, the soot sprites, all the yunas that worked at the bathhouse, and even Emiko. They were all smiling, waving, and calling her name.

The train door opened and Haku walked out. He looked taller and older than when she first met him, but it was unmistakably him. He stood looking out to the plain; she couldn't take her eyes off of him. He seemed to realize she was there, for he turned and smiled at her. He walked towards her, his walk was slow and deliberate but almost predatory, she couldn't help but to stare.

He reached her and knelt down in front of her. He stared into her eyes and Chihiro could feel herself getting lost in the emerald depths of his eyes. He smiled warmly at her and spoke.

"Hello Chihiro," his voice was rich and deep and sounded somewhat like melting chocolate to Chihiro.

"Hi," was all she managed to croak out. He laughed, it reverberated in her chest. He held his hand out to her and spoke again.

"Come with me Chihiro, it's just one more step. You can do it Chihiro." She wanted to take his hand and go with him, she wanted to stay with him, but she couldn't even lift her hand. It was it she was suddenly full of lead and glued to the spot. He looked at her for a while before she realized what was happening. Everything was fading, it was as if the scene was made of dust and the wind kicked up.

Chihiro shook her head and tried to take his hand, thinking that if she could touch it, that the scene wouldn't go away. But her hand passed right through his, she had waited to long and now it was too late. She cried silently as she watched the scene fade away. It faded into the scene she was most familiar with, the statue in front of the grassy hill where the tunnel should be.

"NO!" Chihiro screamed, "No! This can't be happening, I WAS there!" She screamed angrily to the sky. She had been in the Spirit World and couldn't move, it wasn't fair!

"Chihiro," a voice called. But Chihiro ignored it, too focused on the statue, which she resented.

"Chi! Come on, it's time to get up," this time Chihiro opened her eyes and looked around the room, disoriented. The light in the bathroom was on and Emiko was kneeling over her, her face concerned.

"You ok Chi? You're crying," Emiko remarked. Chihiro reached up to her face and discovered that it was wet.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. It must've been a dream or something," Chihiro brushed it off. She tried to forget the dream. Emiko nodded and helped Chihiro up and roll up her sleeping bag. The girls were quiet as they waited outside for the taxi they called yesterday to pick them this morning. When the taxi arrived, the driver helped them put their stuff in the trunk, barely fitting all of it in. It was a long ride to the airport and before they fell asleep the laughed about saying goodbye to New Zealand.

"Alright Chi, better say goodbye to the sheep!" Emiko teased. Chihiro turned to the window and waved to the sheep.

"Goodbye little furry white animals!" They both laughed together, 'the little furry white animals,' had been a joke between them since freshman year. Chihiro hadn't gotten the name for sheep right away so she had referred to them as the little furry white animals that were everywhere. Emiko had teased her about it ever since.

Soon the girls both fell asleep, and before they knew it, they were there. They unloaded their bags and paid the driver. He pulled away from the curb and they walked into the airport. It was about forty-five minuets later that Chihiro and Emiko were sitting in uncomfortable seats waiting for their plane to board. Chihiro sighed, she hated long plane rides. It wasn't the flying part, she was a little claustrophobic and being packed in like sardines on a plane for ten hours really wasn't all that appealing.

'Yes, but you like flying with him,' the annoying voice in her head said to her. She promptly told it to shut up.

They boarded and took off twenty minuets later, just barely on time. Luckily, Emiko had gotten them seats that were in the section of the plane that had two seats to a row. So she and Emiko got to sit next to each other. Needless to say, for the first four hours, they slept. After that, the amused themselves by reliving their adventures the past three years.

"Hey Chi," Emiko said, "Do you remember the first time you went to the Rosy Sheep?" Emiko had an evil grin on her face. Chihiro glared at Emiko, she did indeed remember, she had gotten so sick and had the worst hangover the next morning.

"I blame it all on you," Chihiro said. Emiko put on a mock hurt face.

"Me Chihiro? Why would you blame that on me?" Emiko teased.

"Because before you, I was totally uncorrupted," Chihiro said self-importantly. Emiko laughed and replied.

"I only brought out what was already there my dear." Chihiro and Emiko laughed together, revealing in the memories. They had always managed to get themselves into the worst sort of trouble. But they had always gotten out of it with no worse for wear.

The rest of the flight was spent mocking the in-flight movie, some English film about cartoon animals and suburbia.

"Light fading, losing consciousness!" Chihiro said dramatically, throwing her hand over her forehead. Emiko laughed and added the other line.

"Is that you mother? Beckoning me into the light," Emiko looked off into nowhere and held one hand on her heart and the other one out in front of her, just like the possum.

Ten hours after they took off, they arrived at Tokyo airport; it was two o'clock in Tokyo. The three hour time difference would take some getting used to Chihiro knew. They got their baggage and went to go rent a car. They left the airport about an hour later, getting on the highway they were on their way to a hotel about a two hours drive from Chihiro's home town.

Chihiro was strangely quiet; she hadn't been back to Tokyo in over three years. But driving down the road and looking at the trees and the city lights, she remembered why she had loved it. From the time she was born until she was ten, she had lived in the city, but her parents decided that out in the country would be a better place for a young girl.

Chihiro watched the city slowly disappear behind them as they drove on. She marveled at how the city had spread out, like vines of ivy. Tokyo was a big city, there was no denying it. Emiko looked over at Chihiro every now and then but said nothing; she could tell when Chihiro wanted space.

They arrived in the town they were staying in at about seven. They quickly found their hotel and pulled in. While Emiko went and checked in, Chihiro looked around the lobby. It was very warm and homey feeling. There were stray chairs here and there, all really comfortable looking. Ink paintings hung on walls, a lit by bright white lights. The floor was made of highly polished wood and had oriental rugs sort of thrown here and there. It looked random, but at the same time Chihiro couldn't help but feel that it was thoughtfully done.

They took the elevator up to their floor and almost got lost trying to find there room. But find it they did, eventually. Soon after walking in, Chihiro collapsed on the bed, traveling had always drained her. Emiko soon bounced down beside her, making Chihiro laugh.

The girls spent most of the afternoon napping, despite the fact that it would screw up their internal clocks. But at night, when they had recovered they started chatting about when they should leave tomorrow.

"We could leave in the morning, just for extra time before we go to the Spirit World," suggested Emiko. It took a moment for Chihiro to realize what she was getting at. She thought for a moment, she should go and see them. After all, they were her parents. But she hadn't exactly been on the best terms with them when she left. Her and her mother were alright, she supposed, but her father…

"Yes, alright. I think you should meet my parents anyway," said Chihiro after considering it for a while. Emiko smiled warmly and hugged her friend, giving her silent support. She knew it would be hard for Chihiro. Chihiro had never actually told Emiko what had happened between her and her parents, but she had a good idea. Chihiro seemed like she was the dutiful daughter type, and she highly doubted that her parents came up with Chihiro's major.

That night Chihiro didn't have any dreams, but she couldn't sleep either. Emiko slumbered quietly in the bed while Chihiro sat by the window, her knees pulled up to her chest and arms wrapped around them. She had the curtain open slightly so she could look out the window. The air coming off the window was cold, and the sky outside was clear. The city lights were twinkling in the cold almost-summer air.

Chihiro sighed and watched the cars on the street down below go on their way; they were few and far between, it being three in the morning. Sleep would not come, despite the jet lag and the three hour difference from New Zealand. She was nervous, not only about seeing her parents again but going back.

The thought had entered her mind, that if the tunnel was there than what would she do? Would she after all these years, actually go in? Was what she had needed to see the tunnel for was proof that she had actually been there? That she wasn't crazy?

No, she didn't think so, if that had been all she would have known. She wouldn't have had all those dreams and thought about it all the time. It was more than that, she realized. It was like some driving force that made her want, no, need to go back. She had thought about that before, and the idea still kind of scared her. What was it that made her want to go back so badly?

She had briefly thought that it was some magical attraction, that the magic in the Spirit World had appealed to her human spirit. But she didn't think so anymore. It was too much of a strong feeling to want to go back for it to be magic. It was something more, she just didn't know what.

The morning light crept through the city, it's tendrils of sunlight found their way through the buildings and across the streets. Soon the sun was reflected in Chihiro's warm brown eyes. She blinked and looked at the clock, it read six am. She sighed; they would be leaving in a couple of hours, on their way to Chihiro's home. Although, she didn't exactly call it home anymore, she didn't feel at home anywhere really.

She sighed again and laid her head on her knees and fell into a light sleep, only to be awakened by Emiko two hours later.

Not many people were out on the road as Emiko and Chihiro were making their way to Chihiro's parents'. Chihiro was driving; she wasn't feeling any of the effect of not sleeping. What she was feeling was about a million butterflies in her stomach and a bunch of nervous energy that made her feel like she about to jump out of her skin.

They had been driving for about an hour and a half, they were about twenty minuets from the little town Chihiro had spent eight years of her life in. Eight years of questioning who she was and if she belonged anywhere anymore.

Chihiro made the turn off the highway onto a smaller road that would leave into the town. Emiko had been quiet the whole way, not wanting to push Chihiro into talking. Chihiro was grateful for this sort of silent support. She couldn't even have expressed a small amount of gratitude that she had for the girl. Emiko was like her guardian angel, so felt so lucky to have her. As the town came into view, Chihiro had the biggest case of déja-vu. She still remembered when her and her parents first came. She had been annoyed and uninterested, so unaware about what the next few days would be like.

She turned up the hill that would leave to her house. She could see the blue house from the road and pointed it out to Emiko.

"See the blue one there?" Chihiro said pointing to it. Emiko nodded and looked at it. It was a faded blue, but different from all the rest of the houses. It sat next to the forest, the one Emiko knew was more than a mere forest.

Chihiro turned into her old street and slowly drove up. She parked in front of the azure house and cut the engine. She sat, unmoving before she spoke.

"Maybe we should have called first," said Chihiro nervously.

"Chihiro I'm sure it will be fine, all we have to do is ring the doorbell. I promise I will be with you the whole time," Emiko reassured the girl. Chihiro bit her lip nervously and then undid her seatbelt and hopped out of the car, Emiko soon followed suit. Chihiro slowly walked up the driveway and then up the path that lead to the front door. She hesitated a moment before ringing the doorbell. They had to wait a moment, but Chihiro could her someone's feet padding towards the door, she guessed it was her mother.

Then, the door opened…

A/N: Please, please, please review!


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